Experian’s Precise ID® Solution Is Helping Prevent and Detect Improper and Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance Payments

Experian announces exclusive partnership to help states mitigate fraud amid COVID-19 pandemic

COSTA MESA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the wake of unprecedented unemployment fraud since the start of COVID-19, Experian^®, the world’s leading global information services company, today announced it was selected as the exclusive partner for identity and fraud verification for the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Integrity Center’s centralized Identity Verification (IDV) capability. This is available to state agencies at no cost through UI Integrity Center, operated by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) in partnership with and funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.

With the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reporting a spike in fraudulent unemployment insurance claims complaints related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,¹ it’s more important than ever that state agencies use innovative solutions to verify identities that are applying for unemployment insurance to protect consumers. Improper unemployment insurance payments issued under the CARES Act could be wasted largely because of fraud.

The IDV capability leverages Experian’s Precise ID^® to provide a centralized identity verification and proofing solution. Precise ID combines identity analytics with advanced fraud risk models to distinguish various types of fraud, which can help state agencies maximize time and resources. When state agencies submit claims, the IDV solution will return ID theft scoring and associated cause codes, enabling them to assess whether a claim may be fraudulent.

“Due to the COVID-19 health crisis, unemployment is high, with over roughly 65 million Americans filing for unemployment since mid-March,” said Robert Boxberger, president of Experian’s Decision Analytics in North America. “At Experian, we’re proud to have a strong culture dedicated to continuous innovation that helps protect consumers’ financial health. We’re taking that same consumer focus and helping make the unemployment insurance application process more efficient and safer for constituents.”

The Integrity Data Hub (IDH) is a robust, multi-state data system that contains a continuously expanding set of sources to provide advanced cross-matching and analytic capabilities to states. It’s designed to be easily implemented by any state Unemployment Insurance agency, regardless of claim volume, technology or access to internal resources. The IDH was designed and built using the latest National Institute of Standards and Technology IT security standards, including the use of asymmetric encryption and other techniques to ensure the security of sensitive data.

“We’re excited to partner with Experian and utilize its Precise ID solution to assist states in mitigating fraud during these unprecedented times,” said Scott Sanders, NASWA executive director. “States are finding this to be a very valuable tool and we are pleased that we can offer this solution to states through our partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor.”

The Identity Verification capability is now available at no cost to all states through the Center’s Integrity Data Hub. For more information on Experian’s Precise ID solution, please visit https://www.experian.com/decision-analytics/precise-id.

About Experian

Experian is the world’s leading global information services company. During life’s big moments — from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers — we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organizations to prevent identity fraud and crime.

We have 17,800 people operating across 45 countries and every day we’re investing in new technologies, talented people and innovation to help all our clients maximize every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

Learn more at www.experianplc.com or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the Group.

About The UI Integrity Center

The Unemployment Insurance Integrity Center is designed to assist states in their efforts to improve integrity in the unemployment insurance program. The Center is a joint Federal and state initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and operated by NASWA. The Center’s mission is to be a resource for integrity strategies and information, focusing particularly on the prevention, detection, and recovery of UI improper payments and fraud.

Experian and the Experian trademarks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian and its affiliates. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

¹ FBI.gov July 6, 2020 https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-sees-spike-in-fraudulent-unemployment-insurance-claims-filed-using-stolen-identities